Lawn edging is well known for its ability to restrict the growth of grass, weeds or other vegetation growth. Edging devices are particularly adapted for use along walkways, gardens, and flower beds providing a clear line of demarcation between various growths. Properly installed, the edging eliminates the need for burdensome hand, electric, and gas powered cutting devices as well as the application of chemicals used to control growth.
The conventional lawn edging device is formed from extruded plastic in lengths that may exceed fifty feet. The edging typically includes the use of a vertical barrier that extends into the earth at least two inches to prevent the natural progression of root growth. Anchoring of the edging is made possible by the use of stakes or by the incorporation of protrusions along the length of the vertical barrier to engage the soil. A top portion of conventional lawn edging devices utilizes an enlarged section to prevent the barrier from being improperly inserted into the ground but more importantly, to prevent growth over the top of the barrier and to provide an aesthetically pleasing border line.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,387,786 discloses the use of stakes and various barbs placed upon the vertical barrier of the device for anchoring to the earth. This edging is typical of the prior art in that the anchoring portion of the edging is not uniform to the upper portion and thus requires special packaging to maintain the edging product in a fixed position for purposes of storage and shipping.
In all such cases, the common method of storing lawn edging is by rolling the product into a coil. If the vertical barrier is flat, the coiling of the device will provide an inequity between the upper portion and the vertical barrier so as to require specialized packing to prevent uncoiling. Simple banding of the edging does not provide for uniform stacking as one side of the coiled product lacks sufficient material for support and can lead to dangerous stacking conditions. In instances where an anchoring component is incorporated into the barrier, the anchor can cause a further inequity when the edging device is placed into a coiled state causing the edging to shift or otherwise remain unstable during storage and shipping. In instances where only banding straps are used, the poor support on one side of the edging product prevents safe stacking requiring extra care and material for both storage and shipping. Thus, current practice is to use a corrugated carton or the like sleeve to prevent uncoiling as well as provide the necessary support storage required for stacking purposes.
The problem with corrugated cartons for storing and shipping is that it adds to the manufacturing expense and, more importantly, places a burden on the environment both in material consumption and waste disposal. Further, corrugated cardboard packaging limits display of the edging product to covered locations since exposure to rain will ruin the package. If the packaging is solid, the consumer is unsure what the edging looks like requiring an expensive color print to be placed on the outside of the box or risk damage to the box by the curious consumer.
Thus, what is needed is an edging device that; can be coiled for purposes of storage and shipping without the use of cartons; provides a secure surface for stacking edging product in a horizontal position; and will stay in the earth once positioned.